Gun-carriage trail for enabling the guns to fire at high angles of elevation



E. SCHNEIDER.

GUN CARRIAGE TRAIL FOR ENABLING THE GUNS T0 FIRE AT HIGH ANGLES 0F ELEVATION.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3 I918. 1,335,462, Patented Mar. 30, 1920..

5 SHEETSSHEET I.

fliiolvceys E. SCHNEIDER. GUN CARRIAGE TRAIL FOR ENABLING THE GUNS T0 FIRE AT HIGH ANGLES 0F. ELEVATION. APPLICATION FILED SEPT 13, 1918.

1 ,335,462. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

b SHEETS-SH'EET 2- E. SCHNEIDER. GUN CARRIAGE TRAIL FOR ENABLING THE GUNS T0 FIRE AT HIGH ANGLES 0F ELEVATION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 191B.

E. SCHNEIDER; GUN CARRIAGE TRAIL FOR ENABLING THE GUNS T0 FIRE AT HIGHJANGLES or ELEVATION. 1,335,462

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, I918. Patented Mar. 30

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

l 'lavenorf uyfonz eys V F!!- 65/, 7 4W, Cowma E. SCHNEIDER.

GUN CARRIAGE TRAIL FOR ENABLING THE GUNS TO FIRE AT HIGH ANGLES 0F ELEVATION. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1-3, 1918.

1,335,462. Patented Mar. 30, 1920,.

- 5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

' Fig.2.

? TTED @TATEE PATEN FFIQ.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER, OEPARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SCHNEIDER 8c CIR, 0F PARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE.

GUN-CARRIAGE TRAIL FOR, ENABLING THE GUNS TO FIRE AT HIGH ANGLES OF ELEVATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

Application filed. September 13, 1918. Serial No. 253,987.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the French Republic, and a resident of 42 Rue dAnjou, Paris, France, have invented a new and useful Improvement in or Relating to Gun-Carriage Trails for Enabling the Grims to Fire at High Angles of Elevation, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention has for its objectto provide an improved apparatus which will allow of converting rapidly and cheaplyezc isting single-trail gun carriages having a relatively small vertical range of fire, in such a manner as to provide a gun capable of being fired at low angles of elevation or at high .angles of elevation at will. The improved apparatus is so designed that the conversion affects the smallest possible num ber of parts, and more particularly does not change in any way the elevating mechanism of the gun.

According to this invention, the gun carriage trail is divided transversely into two sections carrying respectively the anchoring device and the elevating mechanisms; a suitable apparatus being provided to allow of engaging the two sections with each other for firing in two positions,'namely, one position in which the two sections constitute prolongations of each other, and the second position wherein the front section incloses a certain angle with the rear section. In other words, when it is desired to fire at a higher angle of elevation, the trail has its longitudinal axis broken by the front section being raised and engaged or fixed in the said raised position.

Two practical constructions of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a first modification of the invention, the trail sections being shown respectively in the position they occupy for firing at low angles of elevation (Fig. 1) and for firing at high angles of elevation (Fig. 2).

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. a is a partial section drawn to a larger scale, on the line IV-'IV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section of a detaildrawn to a larger scale, on the line VV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a section 011 the line VIIVII of Fig. 6.

Figs. 8 to 11 show a second modification.

Fig. 8 1s a partial elevation of the trail near the joint between the two sections, the latter being shown in position for firing at low angles of elevation.

Fig. 9 is a similar partial elevation, but showing the trail sections in the position for firing at high angles of elevation.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line X-X of Fig. 8.

. Fig. 11 is a partial section on the line XIXI of Fig. 10.

In these figures, A is the front section of a gun carriage trail; this section comprises in the usual manner bearings for the trunnions of the gun cradle C, and it carries the elevating mechanism such as the pinion or pinions D of which the cooperating parts, such as the sector or sectors E, are carried by the cradle. B is the rear section of the trail; it carries the anchoring device.

The sections A and B are pivotally jointed to each other by an axle pin F that constitu-tes the pivot on which the front section A turns in its rising movement.

In the examples shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the apparatus for engaging or fixing together the trail sections in position for firing at low angles of elevation or at high angles of elevation, is constituted as follows G is a part which is fixed by riveting or other suitable means to the forward end of the rear trail section B. The lower portion of the said part comprises two bearings g for the pivot F; these hearings project to one and the other side of the cheeks of the trail section B. 9 g are two half bearings formed on the upper edge of each of the cheeks G of the part G, in an arc of a circle struck from the aXis of the pivot F as a center. The angular distance x between these two half bearings is equal to the angle r Fig.

tion A; the axle H and the pivot F are journaled in the part I. The axle H is so arranged that its portions: it can be engaged alternately in one or the other of the two pairs of half bearings g 9 A hand crank H for operating the axle H may be locked on the pivot F, for instance by means of a spring bolt 7L mounted in the handle of the said crank.

In order to pass from the position for firing at low angles of elevation (Fig. 1), to the position for firing at high angles of elevation (Fig. 2), the springpressed pin 72 is drawn out to release the handle H and the latter is turned through 180. Axle H is thereby rotated to bring the crank portion h of the axle out of the half bearing 9 and unlock the two trail sections A and B which, under the influence of gravity, swing on their pivot connection F till the beveled end of section B butts: against the beveled end of section A. WVhen in this position the axle H is over the half bearing having swung over the partition 9 separating bearings g and 9 By turning axle H through another 180 by means of handle H the locking portion 72. of axle H is moved into locking engagement with bearing and. pin 71, engages pivot F to lock the handle thereto.

In order to prevent any rising movement in the case where the desired trench J for the recoil of the gun has not been previously dugin the ground, use may be made of the safety apparatus shown in the drawings. An arm K is fixed at one end to the part I and is normally held between the sections A and B when these sections are arranged in prolongation of each other (Fig. 1). To prevent the overhanging of the arm K, its head K may be fixed by means of two keys L inserted. through the cheeks of the trail section B and having bayonet joint connection therewith as shown in detail in It is to be understood that if it has been forgotten to dig out the soil to the depth required for the recoil of the gun when firing at high angles of elevation, the butting of the head K of the arm K will prevent the rising of the front trail section A to the extent sufficient for causing its engagement in the position shown in Fig. 2.

It is to be understood that the arm K may serve as a lever for. operating the section A in m pving it from the position shown in Fig. 2 into the position shown in Fig. 1.

In the construction shown in Figs. 8 to 11, the two trail sections A and B are pivoted to eachother by means of a pivot F fixed in a fork-shaped part Gr attached to the front end of the .rear section. A part I attached to the lower end of the trail section A is capable of pivoting by means of an eye onithe. said pivot F,-this pivotal movement being limited by a nib 7 formed on the said pivot, being adapted to butt against the ends of a groove 2' formed in the part I.

The engagement of the trail sections A and Bin the positions shown in Figs. 8 and 9 may be assured by the same mechanism that serves to effect the raising of the section A. Upon a square portion of the pivot F there is fixed a toothed sector F with which a worm I engages that is journaled in a bracket I fixed to the part I. The worm I can be actuated by means of a hand'crank I Upon the rear trail section B there may be arranged a device such as the curved guide M (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) for actuating during the raising of the front trail section A, any mechanism, such as for instance the mechanism controlling the variation of the length of the recoil, the position of which must vary with the high angles of elevation.

In the example shown in F i 1, 2 and 4, it is assumed that the guide serves to actuate a lever N the pivotal movement of which produces a variation in the cross sectional areas for the passage of the liquid of the usual hydraulic brake.

The lever N operates the known devices by rotating on its pivot n. It will be noted that in the raising movement of the trail section A, an anti-friction roller N carried by the lever N, strikes the curved 'uide M which forces the lever to rotate. By this means the operation of the known mechanism for varyin the length of the recoil is automatically e ected.

Whichever constructional form is adopted, it can be very easily adapted to a rapid and not expensive conversion of an existing gun which has been designed for firing only at low angles of elevation. It will be merely necessary to cut the existing trail at the suitable desired point, and to affix on the respective inner ends of the trail sections, the cast steel parts G and I provided with the hereinbefore described devices for connecting, engaging and safety purposes.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a gun carriage, a gun trail comprising two sections havinga hinge connection, one of said sections being provided with a plurality of half bearings arranged concentric with the hinge axis, and-means on the companion trail section for engaging said half bearings to lock the sections in different firing positions.

2. In a gun carriage, a gun trail comprising two sections having a hinge connection one member of said hinge having a plurality of halfbearings arranged-concentrically with the axisof said hinge and the companion member of said hinge being provided with a crank-shaft bearing. and a crank-shaft therein having a crankpin engage said half bearing, a crank handle for turning said shaft to bring said pin into locking engagement with said half-bearings, and means for locking said handle. 15

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses ANDRE MOSTICKER, J OHN F. SIMONS. 

